Can someone please explain to me why boys are hard on everything? Everything they touch seems to get banged up, ripped, torn, rumpled, bruised or dirty. (Sometimes all at once.) They can’t even seem to open or close a shower curtain without destroying it. They are constantly pulling down on the curtain and the liner, […]
Easy ways to organize your Christmas decor and be ready for next year.
Packing up Christmas always makes me feel a little sad. (Also a little tired, there is a lot to pack up.) I have been asked how it is possible to change my color scheme every year… it’s all about color coding and organization, baby! It’s so simple, it’s kinda stupid. Store the decor by color. […]
Make your own Stridex-type cleansing pads.
I have four boys. Three of them are teenagers. (Two of them are extremely active.) None of them are terribly keen on skincare regimens. My good friend Raquel mentioned that she heard of taking ordinary baby wipes and pouring witch hazel over the stack of wipes and using them to wipe down greasy faces. I pondered […]
No more burned tongues! Make hot cocoa ice cubes.
I shared this simple tip over at I {Heart} Naptime last week. It’s an easy way to help keep your little people from getting burned by one of the holiday season’s most common treats: hot cocoa. Have you ever burned your tongue? Of course you have. It hurts, and it would be preventable if you […]
Quick, easy chili that doubles as an ice block. (It’ll make sense in a minute…)
My mom makes really good chili. She shared the recipe with me and I make it a lot, and for sure whenever we go camping. That’s what we eat the first night in camp because I can make it ahead of time and freeze it. Then it does double duty as “ice” in the coolers […]
Someone always has to go and be stupid. Best to be prepared for it.
I am a camper. I am a planner. I am organized. I am also mom to 4 boys, and they do stupid things… like throw rocks and crack their little skulls open while playing in creeks. This was on our camping trip 2 years ago. (That was a bumpy trip.) I had not planned to spend […]
Wrangling extension cords. How to keep them neat and organized.
Do you do something a certain way, or have a little tip or trick you think is no big deal… then you tell someone and they smack their hands to their heads in an I-Coulda-Had-A-V8 moment…? …And then you realize you were kind of on to something that woks great, but isn’t necessarily common knowledge…? […]
Make your bad photos work to your advantage.
I love photos! One of my favorite items to use when decorating my house is photos. I have never been one to line the hallway with my kids’ school portraits (not a criticism if you do it… to each his or her own…). We haven’t had a whole lot of family portraits taken (the last […]
Silica Gel – you only need to follow half of the directions. (Just ignore the other half.)
You know when you buy a new pair of shoes or a handbag? The little silica gel packets that come in there to absorb moisture? You need only follow half of the instructions. Pin It For sure you shouldn’t eat the stuff… but don’t throw it away either! I very briefly mentioned this tip at […]
The cost of camping is less than the cost of NOT camping. (Does that make sense…?)
So in July we took our annual camping trip to Markleeville, CA. I’ve posted ad nauseum a lot about how much we love this trip. Camping is seriously one of the most fun, most economical vacations a family can take. It’s generally not considered polite to discuss the cost of something… but I’m not always polite. We have […]